Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 25. (1972) - Festschrift für Hanns Leo Mikoletzky
HOLLAENDER, Albert E. J.: Offiziere und Prälaten. Zur Fuldaer Bischofskonferenz, August 1945
Offiziere und Prälaten 205 Concordat and the Bishops hope this treaty still stands. They maintain that a strong religious revival has begun in Germany and that the validity of the Concordat is being discussed by the people themselves. If the Concordat is not observed, the Bishops think the people will express their discontent at such a decision in active ways. One final and interesting observation: references to Protestant co-operation of a kind never before known in Germany were made to me on several occasions. This, of course, does not mean dogmatic union but is similar to the Sword of the Spirit movement12) and Religion and Life in England. It would appear that the two Churches are united in their demand for denominational education and the consequent teacher-training. As a result of my attending the conference I should again like to express the opinion I have frequently given in lectures during the past years and which has been confirmed and strengthened by my fresh contacts with the German Hierarchy. The Bishops have great significance in the future of Germany and our work. They have the prestige of unbroken resistance to the Nazis: they have, above all, a strong sense of international order; they are the conscious guardians of the spiritual tradition of Western Europe, especially in regard to the rule of law. Through the Centre Party they have a tradition of political action of a relatively liberal and co-operative kind. Hence, in my opinion, there is probably no considerable section of the German people with whom it is so easy for us to make contact and find understanding, so far as regards internal order and political stability within Germany ■). R L Sedgwick Colonel. Education Branch. Religious Affairs Section Distribution: Chief: IA & C. Div. Sir William Strang Political div. Chief of Staff. War Office. F. O. APPENDIX „A“. Abschrift Allied Expeditionary Force Military Government Det. Hl. D2. Oo, D, 2 d. ECA Regt. Fulda, Germany. 1st August, 1945. Subject: To: Der Bischof von Fulda. In answer to your letter [of] 27 July 1945 we wish to state the following facts in order to make clear in your mind as well as [that of] the German people our position and our way of thinking. 1. We did not come here because we wanted to. Twice the United States had to mobilize and come over here and defeat German militarism. The first time in 1918 we were too lenient on the Germans and treated them as >) Der ganze Absatz unterstrichen LW. >2) Hierüber Jasper Bell 245—255.
